Tree or stretcher for shoes



Jan. 16, 1951 F. J. w HOLT TREE OR STRETCHER FOR SHOES Filed Sept. 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /n yen for mwww .W/W: Mm/WuPA/d!) Jan. 16, 1951 F. J. w. HOLT TREE OR STRETCHER FOR SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16, 1948 Patented Jan. 16, "1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 16, 1948, Serial No. 49,497 In (lreatBritain August Ill 1948 This invention relates to trees or' stretchers for shoes and has for its main object to provide a collapsible stretcher which canbelfolded'up and packed into a smallco'mpass convenient for travelling. Y a 1 It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a stretcher for shoes comprising: an inflatable envelope includin'g'means to maintain said envelope in the shape of a shoe when it is inflated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stretcher for shoes comprising an inflatable envelope including internal partitions of flexible non-elasticmaterial connecting .opposite walls (top and bottom walls) of said enV'elopeJJ.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a stretcher for shoes comprising an; in flatable envelopedivided internally into cells by longitudinal and transverse partitions of flexible non-elastic material connectingiopposite walls of said envelope and wherein eachlongitudinal partition has the configuration of a vertical longitudinal section of the shoe in the, plane-fin which the said partition" is located when the envelope is inflated within the shoe and' each transverse partition has the configuration of ';a vertical transverse section of the shoe "in' the plane in which the respective partition located when the envelope is located Within the shoe, while said partitions are perforated to, provide communication between the cells defined thereby.

A still further object of the invention is to provide m ans capable of maintaining said envelope in the shape of a shoewhen inflaterL a portion formed as a bellowsv and a nonreturn valve connecting said bellows portion to theremainder of the envelope.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings: I

Figure 1 illustrates one form of the invention in outside elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan.

Figure 3 is a section onlgthe line III-III in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the-construction shown in Figures 1-3 with part of the envelope broken away to show the internal construction more clearly.

Figure 5 illustrates in longitudinal section a further construction according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows a section on the line VIVI in Figure 5, and

Figure 7 shows the inflation valve of the device shown in Figure 5, to a larger scale.

'2 ciiiiis. (01112-129) In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4 the shoetree comprises an inflatable envelope 1 made of a flexible material, preferably rubber-covered canvas,iand divided internally into a plurality of cells 2 by longitudinal partitions 3 and'transversepa'rtitions' l of flexible non-elastic material, such as canvas,'the cells 2 being in communication with one another through holes 5 in their walls.

Eachlongitudinal partition 3 has the configuration of a vertical longitudinal section of the shoe 'in' the planein which said partition is lo cated whenthe envelope is' inflated and each transverse partition 4' has the configuration of a vertical transverse section of the shoe in the plane in'which said transverse partition is 10- catedwhen the envelope is inflated.

Attached to the envelope I, at the part 6 which extends across the aperture in the shoe through which the'wearers "foot is inserted, is a connection] for a rubber tube 8 having an inflator bulb 9 providedwith a'non retu'rn valve (not shown). The connection I has a branch 10 with a cock l l by means of which the interior of the envelope I can'beplace'din communication with the atmosph'e re'pr shut tiff therefrom.

Whenithe envelope l with the cock ll closed is placed within a shoe and inflated by means.

ofthebiilb 9", the envelope expands until it atthe shape of the shoe, the expansion being liinited by'th'e partitions 3' and 4, and the air reaching all of the cells 2 through the communieating apertures 5.

In' order to deflate the envelope the cock I! is open to allow the-air to escape after which the envelope canbe removed from the shoe and folded up for transport.

In theeonstruction in Figures 5-7, the envelope is made o'f rubber and has the shape of a shoe ahd'in order to assist in maintaining the envelope in the" shape of a shoe when inflated the "top o'f the envelope from the toe to a point above the; instep is thickened as shown at I! in Figure 6,

fandgth sides of this part of the envelope are also ckened. asindicated at I8 in Figure 6. In addition the heel portion is thickened as indita ca l f1 Further arel atively thick transverse and concavejintemal web 20 is provided which extends completely acrossthe envelope from a point- 2| above the instep to a point 22 approximately corresponding to the top of the back of the shoe.

This web 20 is formed with a central aperture 23, on each side of which is a further web 24 each extending completely across the envelope and connecting the underside of web to the bottom wall of the envelope.

The web 20 with the portion Ila of the top wall of the envelope between the points 2| and 22, which is relatively thin, forms a bellows chamber 25.

A flap valve 21 is attached to the underside of the web 29 at 28, this valve cooperating with the aperture 23 to control the passage of air through said aperture.

In the middle of the top part of the relatively thin walled portion Ila there is provided an inflator comprising a tubular body 30 projecting out of the envelope and terminating at its lower inner end in a downwardly convergent portion 3| extending a short distance into the bellows chamber 25. l v

The outer portion of the tubular body 30 is provided with internal screw threads at 32 and these internal screw threads engage the external screw threads 33 of a plug 34having a downwardly convergent end portion 35 which is formed to fit the downwardly projecting and convergent portion 3| The latter portion 3| is formed with air inlet passages 36 which, when the plug 3 is screwed down to its fullest extent, are sealed by the conical or convergent end portion 35 of the plug.

The plug 34 has a portion 3'! of reduced diameter below the threads 33 and has a central air inlet passageway 38 communicating with a trans-- verse passageway 39 of which the ends open out into the annular space 40 left between the reduced portion 31 of the plug 34 and the interior orthe tubular body 30. I

In order to inflate the envelope the plug 3 is unscrewed slightly to lift its conical end portion 35 away from the air passages or holes 33 the plug being, however, not removed so that the interior, of the chamber 25 is in communication with the atmosphere through the air holes 36, the space 40, and the transverse and longitudinal air passageways or conduits 39, 38, extended through the plug 34.

In order to inflate the envelope the outwardly extending portion of the tubular body 30 is gripped between the first and second fingers and the thumb is placed over the open end of the conduit 38 and the top 4| of the plug is then pressed downwardly thereby collapsing the chamber 25 and driving air out of said chamber through the flap 21 and into the envelope through holes 42 in the webs 24. I v

The thumb is then removed from over the air conduit 38, and the tubular body 30 and plug 34 are pulled up thereby expanding the bellows chamber 25 and allowing the latter to fill with air drawn in through the conduit 38 p I Atthe sametime the air pressure within the hollow portions 43, 6'! of the envelope closes the flap valve 2? and prevents escape of air. The above-described bellows action is then continued until the desired degree of inflation is reached after which the plug 34 is screwed down into the conical part 3| thereby sealing the air holes 36 and preventing any escape of air from the envelope.

I The conical portion 3| of the tubular body 30 is disposed immediately above the flap valve 21 and in order to deflate the envelope the plug 34 is unscrewed as before and is pushed down until the conical part 3| including the holes 36 passes through the valve aperture 23 and contacts the flap valve 21 thereby opening the latter and releasing the air within the envelope which escapes past the flap valve and through the holes 36 into the chamber 25 and out through the open plug 34.

In order to prevent the flap valve 21 from being pushed open too far, in which case it might not return, a stop element in the form of a plug 45 of moulded rubber or sponge rubber is provided immediately below the valve 21.

Instead of or in addition to thickening the walls of the envelope as described above, the desired shape of the envelope when inflated may be maintained by providing the envelope with a covering of flexible non elastic material such as canvas, said cover when distended by inflation of the envelope having the shape of a shoe.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A stretcher for shoes comprising an inflatable envelope having top wall and bottom wall and made of resilient material to thereby assume the configuration of a shoe, a concave transverse inner web having an aperture and connected to the top wall of said envelope therewithin, said web and said top wall defining between them a bellows chamber, a flap valve attached to the underside of said concave web and adapted for coaction with said aperture, further webs having perforations and connecting said concave web to said bottom wall of the envelope on each side of said flap valve, a tubular body having an outer end projecting beyond the top wall of the envelope and provided with an inner convergent end projecting into said chamber directly above said aperture of said concave web, the outer end of said tubular body being provided with inner screw threads and with a downwardly convergent seating provided with passages communicating with said chamber, a plug having outer screw threads for engaging the inner screw threads of said tubular body, said plug including a portion of reduced diameter below said screw threads to thereby provide an annular space surrounding said reduced portion, said plug being formed with a passage way extending through said plug into said annular space, and a downwardly convergent end portion on said plug shaped to fit said downwardly convergent seating of said tubular body.

2. A stretcher for shoes according to claim 8, including a stop element disposed below said flap valve to limit movement of said flap valve with respect to its cooperating aperture.

FRANCIS JAIME WORMALD HOLT.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 817,949 Zeisberger et a1 Apr. 17, 1906 1,048,826 Grune Dec. 31, 1912 1,086,782 Moore Feb. 10, 1914 1,915,574 Hallam June 27, 1933 

